Complete List of Goods Sold by Village Cooperatives: Basic Necessities, Fertiliser, and Cheap Medicine
President Prabowo Subianto has revealed the array of goods that will be distributed by the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) during the inauguration of the operationalisation of 1,061 Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDKMP) in Nganjuk, East Java, on Monday (18/5/2026).
Prabowo stated that the goods to be sold by the Merah Putih Cooperatives include basic necessities (sembako), including government-subsidised items, LPG cylinders, subsidised fertiliser, logistics services in collaboration with Pos Indonesia, and low-cost medicine.
He added that the Merah Putih Cooperatives would also provide low-interest credit services, distribute government assistance, and act as a way to absorb farmers’ paddy crops.
“These are the activities of the Merah and White Cooperatives. Various basic necessities are sold, including subsidies, as well as distributors for gas cylinders, subsidised fertiliser, and low-interest credit,” said Prabowo, as quoted on Monday (18/5/2026).
“Logistics services are working in partnership with Pos Indonesia, alongside the distribution of government aid, the absorption of farmers’ paddy, and the establishment of pharmacies for cheap medicine. We are pushing the cost of medicine down so that it can be achieved as cheaply as possible for the people across Indonesia,” he emphasised.
Prabowo targets at least 20,000 cooperatives to be established across all villages and sub-districts in Indonesia by August 2026. According to him, the development of tens of thousands of these cooperatives is proof of the government’s success in creating the basic infrastructure that drives the economy.
“I say that 20,000 is an achievement that I believe is rarely found in other countries. Please conduct research to see which country can build and inaugurate 20,000 cooperatives within one year. I believe it is rare,” he explained.
He also claimed that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, when integrated with the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives, will be able to drive money circulation amounting to hundreds of trillions of rupiah in villages without relying on neoliberal economic concepts.
According to Prabowo, the MBG programme ensures that money continues to circulate at the village level because food requirements are supplied directly by the local community.
“What we are creating are fundamental things. We are implementing the MBG, which is fundamental. This means that every day, money circulates in the village,” said Prabowo, as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat broadcast on Saturday (16/5/2026).
He subsequently calculated that, assuming 3,000 beneficiaries and a budget of Rp15,000 per portion, the circulating money would reach Rp45 million per day in a single village.
Prabowo continued that, within one month, the circulation of money could reach between Rp900 million and Rp10.8 billion per year from the MBG programme alone.
In his view, this economic impact empowers farmers, livestock breeders, and village MSMEs, as their products are absorbed directly within the local environment.
“This means those who farm catfish can sell them, those who grow shallots can sell them, those who make tempeh can sell it, those who sell eggs can… All producers in that village will thrive!” said Prabowo.
He emphasised that economic circulation would increase even further once the MBG programme is combined with the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives.
“Hundreds of trillions will circulate in villages, sub-districts, and regencies. Hundreds of trillions,” he stated.
Prabowo then touched upon the concept of the free market economy, which he believes only causes the people’s wealth to flow to large-capital groups and eventually leaves the country.
“If we use what they call the free market, neoliberalism, where large capital dominates, the people’s money will be sucked away and ultimately end up abroad,” he asserted.
Therefore, he believes the combination of the MBG programme and village cooperatives will serve as the foundation for a national economic resurgence based on the people.